Trustee



A. T. STUART. ELEcTRoLYHc CELL ANDELECTRO'DE THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.27 IBIS.

Patented May-13, mw.'

2 SHEETS- HEI-ITI GS N,

A. T. STUART. ELECTEOLYTIC CELL AND ELECTRODE THEREFOR.

Patented May 13, 1919.

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To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that li, ALEXANDER THOMAS STUART, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented`a certain new and useful Fllectrolytic Cell and Electrode There-- for, of which the following is a specification. The invention relates to electrolytic cells for use primarily in the electrolysis of water' whereby the latter is decomposed and separated into its component gases, oxygen and hydrogen. p The idea-l cell for this purpose would'consist of a flat anode and a flat cathode placed in a bath of acidulated or alkalinized water with their surfaces as close together as possible. This situation would however, make it impossible to separate the gases after the; dissociation of the water, and the exit for the gases would be so restricted that the current would cease to bridge the gap between the plates and the circuit would be broken.

Tf a porous diaphragm were placed betweeni the plates to separate the gases there would be no exit for the gases and hence the current would cease to flow. To allow. for` the escape of the gases the'plates must be moved ,away from the diaphragm and when this is done the effect is to lintroduce considerable internal resistance and so reduce the economy of operation.

The objects of the' invention are to-provide an electrode which may be employed surface, while at the same time .providing for the rapid removal of the gases, which will shorten theV current conducting path, and 4prei/'ent displacement of the electrolyte by the gas.

These and further objects will more fully appear in the following specition` and Specincation of Letters Patent.

patenten nay is, icio.

accompanying drawings, considered together or separately.

The invention is illustrated inthe accompanying drawings in which like parts in all of the figures are designatedY by similar characters of reference, and in which,

Figure l is a transverse section ofa cell embodying the invention, the section being indicated by the line 1-l on Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the sametalren on the Vline2--2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3 3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4l is a detail section talren on the line 4 4: of Fig'. Il; Y

j Fig. 5 is a detail section .taken on the line .5--5 of Fig. l;

Fig. 6 is a detail section taken on the'line 6 6 of Fig. l;

Fig. 7' isl a greatly enlarged plan view,

partly in section, of .a portion of a cell;

'Fig 8 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the current conducting area; and

Tn' the practice of the-invention a' unit or group l, comprising a plurality vof cells 2, is preferably employed. Any number vof units electrically connected in series may be employed, and any vnumber/of cells may be usedvin each unit.

Flach cell comprises two metallic members 3, electrically insulated from eachother by a porousdiaphragm 3a. Flach memberv 3 consists ofxa rectangular webl or plate '6 having1 an overhanging flange i at the top, a flange in at each side, and a flange 5 at the bottom. f The Hangs i at one side o-f the web 6 is provided with a groove 7, which eaten s from near one side ofthe space inclosed by the Hangers and communicates near one corner of the memberB with a passage 9, which entends entirely through the member. Un the opposite side of the web a similar groove 8 extends from nearthe passage 9fto a similar passage 10 through the opposite upper corner of the member.

When the members 3 are assembled sideby-side, as shown in Fig. 2, the passages 9 will form a continuous opening aross the unit and this opening will, by means of the ocres 7, vbe .in communication with the u Fig. 9 isla detail plan view of a modificalon.

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n. space inclosed by one side of all of the webs '10 and 12 do not extend entirely through the end members of the groups, but only so far into such members as to offer communication between the spaces in such members and the corresponding spaces in the adjoining members. The diaphragms 3a are perforated in line with the passages 9, 10 and 11.

One member 3 of each group, preferably the center member, is provided at the top thereof with two openings 11 and 11, one

near each end thereof. The opening 11 isv an outlet for all of the passages 9, and the opening 11a is an outlet for all of the passages 10. The bottom of the same member is provided near each end thereof with an to all of the cells.

extremely thin blades 15 of opening 13, which, by reason of the openings 12 in the' webs 6 and flange 5 become inlets The end member 3 of each group 1 is provided with a plurality, preferably two, perforated lugs 20. Bolts 21 passing through the lugs enable the members to be clamped together with a diaphragm between adjoining members. The bolts are carefully insulated from the lugs, as shown at 22. .To one end of one bolt 20`is attached an electrical connection 23, which is insulated from the olt but in contact with the lug,` and the opposite end of another bolt carries a connection 24 suitably connected.

Each of the cells 2 formed between the webs of the members 3 and the diaphragm 3, asbestos cloth, is provided with an electrode in electrical contact with its continuous web, and in mechanical contact with the diaphragm.

Each electrode comprises a plurality of the desired conductive material, arranged side by side and uniformly spaced apart. The length of the ylades is considerably greater than their width, and the blades are so arranged that the length is vertical with the spaces between them uniform for. the entire length of the blades- A flange 16 is formed along one longitudinal edge of each blade, and this flange is preferably at such an angle to the body of the blades that when the latter are assembled with the desired spaces between them the flanges will overlap and are of suclr a length that the flange of each blade, except the outermost blades, will rest between. the flangesy of the tm' adjoining blades.

The flanges 16 may be secured together by Welding, and form a strong rigid back extend beyond the sides of the back formed by the flanges.

Each bar 14 is provided near each end with a perforation which engages over screw-threaded pins 17 secured in the webs 6 of the members 3. The pins 17 may extend the same distance beyond cach side of the web and each pin may engage a bar on each side of said web. An adjusting nut 18 is placed upon each pin before the bars carrying the blades are positioned. Each nut is provided with a reduced portion which engages the opening in the bar and has a series of oppositely disposed notches 25 for the engagement of a Spanner wrench whereby the ,electrodes may be adjusted until the edges ofthe blades are brought to a proper level relatively tothe faces of the flanges 4, 4, and 5. A lock nut 19 is then applied to each pin and the electrodes are securely fastened in position. The electrodes are readily detachable and may be easily removed and replaced when desired.

The pins 17 may be welded or otherwise secured in the webs to prevent rotation with the nuts, and to avoid leakage through the webs or partitions.

The diaphragm 3a is of di-electric material, and is more or less flexible and expansible.v When the device is assembled the free longitudinal edges of the electrode fblades are in intimate contact with the diaphragm and engage it on both sides, the engaging edges of one electrode being opposite those of the electrode on the other side of the diaphragm, whereby the later is supported by the blades and the gap between the edges of the blades is the thickness of the diaphragm only.

The blading of the electrodes is preferably of sheet iron, and is as thin as it is practicable to roll such material- Excellent results have been obtained with blades of a thickness of .003,965 inch. or 38 American gage. spaced apart the thickness of a strip of 16 American gage or .05,082 inch. With blades of the thickness given the depth from back to front may be about .25 inch, and the lines of force will be extremely active and will -utilize the entire area presented by the blades.

One electrode. the anode, in each cell 2` is preferably nickel-plated, while the other Lenstra ,i electrode, the cathode, in the same cell, is oit lllv tillA pervious to the black iron.

"lhe operation is .as follows:

'llhe cells are lled with water which has been alkalinized by sodium-hydroxid, potassium hydroxid, or properly acidulated to retrode o'r cathode, While the oxygen, being4 electro-negative, will be attracted to and liberated ori the positive electrode or anode As the anode and cathode of each cell are separated by the diaphragm, which is imp ases, the oxygen will rise between the bla es onY theranode side and escape through the grooves 7, passa es .9 and openings 11. The hydrogen wil rise between the blades of the cathode and be withdrawn through thegro'oves 8, passages and outlet 11,

llllll llllh The gases and such of the water as is entrained with them are directed to tanks where the water is separated from the gas and re-used and the gases are vdeposited in suitable holders whence they may be compressed and bottled for shipment.

lt is important that the blades of the electrodes be as thin as it is possible to form the metal of which they are composed, and. to restrict the width of the spaces between them to the least dimension capable of permitting the' form-ation of gas bubbles on the blades and the travel of the bubbles through the spaces. rllhe thickness, 38 gage, given above, is cited as an example, and is the thinnest sheet iron which applicant was able to purchase in the open market. Plates much' thinner than 38 gage may be employed and the spaces between them correspondingly reduced. Foil or leaf metal of the proper rigidity may be used and even ordinary foils, if'properly supported, may be employed and will present a much greater area of reacting surface.

lt will be understood that the electrodes of each cell need not be arranged with the blades of the anode opposite those of the cathode, butsaid blades may be staggered with the positive blades opposite the spaces of the negative blades.

ln the modification illustrated in Fig.

the flanges 16u of the blades 15 are bent up to an angle of 90 degrees, and are of the same length as the width of the spaces be- :a considerable tween the blades. 'lhe blading is arranged with the edge of one' flange 16 engaging the adjoining blade and the .Hanges and blades are properly secured together and vto the bars 14:.

ln some forms of cells, where separation oit gases is not necessary, such, for example, as those used in electrolytic renng or deposition ot metal, the diaphragm may be omitted and the edges of the blades brought as close together as possi-ble without actual contact.

lit desired the blades may be held in spaoed relation .by any approved mechanism inserted between the back and the edges in Contact with-the diaphragm.

F or the purpose of giving greater strengthl and rigidity to the back the flanges 16 may be secured together for any portion, or for the entire length of the blades.

Claims:

1. An electrode comprising a rigid back,

and a plurality ot members rigidly supported by said back, each member engaging the back for the entire length of the back, there being spaces between the members.

2. f,An electrode comprising a rigid back, and a plurality of thin blades arranged at an angle to the back and spaced one from another, said blades engaging the back for portion of the length of the blades. v

3. An electrode comprising a rigid back, and a plurality of thin blades arranged at an angle to the back and spaced one from another, said blades engaging the back for the full length of the blades, the said spaces being of the same width for the entire length of the blades. l

4f. An electrode comprising a rigid back, a plurality of equally spaced, thin blades secured to said back and extending at an angle therefrom, said back forming a closure for the spaces at one side of the entire lengthof the blades.

5. An electrode comprising a multiplicity of thin blades, there being spaces between the blades, said blades being of considerable length as compared with their width and thickness, a rigid backing to which one longitudinal edge of each blade is secured, said backing forming a closure for the spaces l along that face of the electrode.

6. An electrode having a reacting surface comprising a multiplicity of blades of a minimum thickness, said blades being equally spaced apart, said blades of considerable length as compared with their width and thickness, said spaces extending the entire length of the blades and being of the same width throughout, a rigidv backing for the blades, said backing inclosing the spacesl at one tace of the electrode for the entire length oi? the blade, and a support secured to the backin..

7. An electrode having a reacting surface comprising a multiplicity of blades. of a minimum. thickness, said blades being equally.

length of the blades and being of the same widththroughout, a rigid backing for the blades, said backing inclosing the spaces at one face of the electrode for the entire length of the blade, and a support secured to the backing near the'y ends of the blades.

8. An electrode comprising a plurality of members arranged in a common plane and spaced apart, there being a portion ofv each lknember in contact with a contiguous mem- 9. An electrode comprising a plurality of members arranged in a common plane and spaced apart, there being a lportion of each memberin contact with a contiguous member for the entire length of said members.l

10. An electrode comprising a plurality of lmembers arranged in a common plane and spaced apart, therebeing a portion of each member in contact` with a contiguous Amember, and means for securing the members together.

11. An electrode comprising a plurality of thin bladesv equally spaced apart and -arranged with their edges in a common plane,

a flange along one longitudinal edge of eachblade, said flange engaging the next adja- -cent blade and vridging the space at that edge of the blad 12. An electrode comprising a plurality of.

' thin fblades equally spaced apart land arrangedJ with their edges in a common plane, a lange along one longitudinal edge of each blade, said flange engaging the next adjacent blade and bridging the space at 4that edge of the blade, and means for securing the flange of one blade to the said next a jacent blade.

13. An electrode comprising a plurality of thin metallic blades spaced one from another to forma rectangular structhre, one face of such'structure being composed of the free longitudinal edges of all ofthe plates, the

opposite longitudinal edge of each 1 plate each electrode comprising a multiplicity of thin blades of conducting material in vertical arrangement, there being spaces between the blades, said spaces being of equal width throughout their lengths, the longitudinal edges of the blade of the electrodes engag- -ing the diaphragm on opposite sides thereof., means for introducing an electrolyte containing water into the chamber from the bottom thereof and on each side of the diaphragm, said electrolyte permeatin said diaphragm, means for passing an e ectric current from one .felectrode tothe other through the electrolyte in the diaphragm, whereby the water will be decomposed, the hydrogen will be liberated on the cathode side of the diaphragm and the oxygen will be liberated on the anode, and means for withdrawing the gases.

15. An apparatus for decomposing water by electrolysis, comprising a series of narrow cells arranged side-by-side, a diaphragm of porous, dig-electric material in each cell dividin it into equal parts, an electrode on eachsi e of each diaphragm, said electrodes each comprising a multiplicity of extremely thin blades of conducting material in vertical arrangement, there being narrow spaces between the blades, said spaces being of the same width for the entire length of the blades, the longitudinal edges of the blades of each electrodeengaging the diaphragm, the opposite edges of the blades of each electrode being securedto a rigid back, means for adjustably supporting the electrodes on the walls separating the cell alined openings in the walls of the cells at the bottoms thereof, common means `for introducin an electrolyte containing water into all o the cells, said electrolyte permeating the diaphragms, means `for passing an electric current through the series of cells from end-to-end, whereby the lpolarity of the current will b e changed in its passage through the electrolyte between the opposed electrodes and the water will be decomposed, the hydrogen-being liberated. on the cathode electrode and the oxygen liberated on theanode electrode, a. passagez on the positive side of each partition'for collecting thev oxygen of each cell,

a conduit connecting the said passages of all of the partitions, an oxygen outlet common 

